Big Brother Jeff and Little Brother Jac
Meet Big Brother Jeff and Little Brother Jac, who have been matched for almost 11 years now.
Big Brother Jeff and Little Brother Jac first met in October 2014 through School Buddies, and they’ve been good pals ever since.
Starting as School Buddies
Big Brother Jeff wasn’t even looking to volunteer when he first learned about Big Brothers Big Sisters’ School Buddies program, but he was encouraged by a co-worker at Paragon Medical to join. Although initially hesitant, he soon began meeting with Little Brother Jac at the nearby elementary school, where they began their now decade-long friendship.
Their very first meeting remains one of Jeff’s favorite moments together. Here’s Jac, a small kid whom Jeff had never met before. When it was time to take a first picture together, Jac gave Jeff “the biggest hug,” which warmed his heart.
When it was time to switch to Community-Based, it took some time to get used to, but they soon found their groove. According to the two, they’ve seen “hundreds” of movies together, tasted the best of new and exciting restaurants, and even taken a big road trip together! Their trip to the Windy City, with a stop at Chicago’s famous aquarium and other tourist spots, quickly became one for the books—a memory they won’t forget.
Lessons and Learning
Any friendship takes work, and the same is true for Jac and Jeff. Although the two don’t always share each other’s hobbies, Jac says that their kindred interest in learning has kept them invested in each other’s lives. If they don’t have a similar interest, they at least try to learn and understand them, leading to finding commonalities and discovering new things. For these two, it’s also important to compromise when picking activities to do.
At times, Jeff struggled with this when his Little was younger. He felt like a “cruise director” trying to find new things for him and Jac. However, as another Big pointed out to him, Jeff soon realized that this can mean a lot to a kid.
“We have definitely done things together that I would not find myself going out to do with other friends—either because me and that friend would have no interest, or it’s just something I would have never thought of,” said Jac.
“I’m thankful for the stuff he does, and I always say thank you when we come back to my place, ‘cause he picks me up even though I have a license,” Jac continued.
Jac proclaims that his interesting and thoughtful Big Brother Jeff has at times been a better teacher than those he encounters in school—always able to explain things simply and carefully. Economics, medical equipment, and weather: these are all things Jac credits his Big with teaching him about. This is just one reason he recommends the program to others. There is so much you can learn from a new friend.
“You don’t always learn everything in school. You can sometimes learn things from other people, like I have,” said Jac.
A Big Future Ahead
First meeting only at the school, there were some things Jeff didn’t know about his Little when they switched to Community-Based. One of these, he soon found out on a trip to Science Central. When they reached the stairs, Jeff learned that his Little had a great fear of heights when he turned around and saw him clinging to the railing in fright! Escalators, stairs, and elevators were all troublesome on their outings.
Over the years, Jac eventually conquered this fear, and he recently went on a plane trip to Greece to have fun and learn about the differences between here and other countries! This is just one example of how much his Little has grown from first grade to junior year of high school—and why Jeff is amazed at how far he’s gone. Beyond that, he’s now working, driving, understanding bills, paying insurance, learning adult responsibilities, and more.
“I have three kids, all grown up, and it’s almost like seeing my kids go through that again,” said Jeff.
With Jac’s life beyond high school quickly approaching, Jeff tries to encourage thinking about career options. As a part of the Junior ROTC program, Little Brother Jac takes steps to discern what these options may be. His current plan is to go into the Air Force or the Army for firefighting. Already having passed his state test for fire 1 and hazmat awareness is what piqued his interest in this route. On one trip to Purdue to tour the campus, they met a ROTC scout whom they stopped to talk to, and it was awesome for Jeff to see his Little in action.
Jeff continues to support his Little’s dreams, wherever they may take him, by helping him stay on track in school. Knowing doing well in school matters for where this Little wants to go, Jeff checks in on Jac’s grades every time they meet up. Now, Jeff doesn’t even have to ask, Jac will pull them up to show him.
“Seeing a kid that kinda had a tough start being able to overcome a lot of things… that part of it has really been awesome,” said the proud mentor.
The Meaning of Their Match
Both Jeff and Jac hope to stay in touch with each other and meet in person when the opportunity arises. Although this may be more difficult as Jac goes off to the military, keeping their friendship, which has added so much to both their lives, will be worth the work.
“My experience has been really great. I’m happy with the match. And I’m thankful that I haven’t had problems with the match,” said Jac.
Jeff says having a Little in the program “filled a gap” in his life, after his own kids had grown.
“I probably haven’t told him the exact words, how proud I am of him,” said Jeff. “It should be obvious, but he may not realize how far he’s come.”
Be Big, Get Involved.
If you know someone who seems like they’d be a good Big, don’t hesitate to encourage them to join! You never know if your encouragement could lead to a 10-year match, like it did for Big Brother Jeff.
There are several different programs you could get involved with—whether it’s Real Men Read, School Buddies, or the Community-Based program.
“I would say just try it. I started with the lunch buddy program because I didn’t know anything about it, and it was only a one-hour-a-week commitment. That one-hour-a-week commitment now turned into a ten-year relationship,” said Jeff.
“I’d say it’d be a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in it,” said Jac.
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